Pertaining to the Estate of James Alexander, Oconee Co., SC, Part 1

I have lately inherited a goodly number of papers relating to the Watson family from my grandfather Watson’s youngest sister, Dixie. Part of these were kept and maintained by the eldest brother of the family, Ralph Watson, who is now deceased. Uncle Ralph saved several important family papers, including the complete chain of title for his grandfather Daniel Alexander Watson’s land with a copy of the original land entry.

One of those documents provides clear evidence of the relationships between various members of Dan’s mother’s family, the Alexanders of Pickens District and later Oconee County, South Carolina. This Complaint for Partition of Real Estate is likely a copy sent to Dan and his siblings, James F. and Elizabeth Watson.

This copy is incomplete, but is presented here as it was handed down to me. The writing is faded and splotched with age, and a portion appears to have suffered mild water damage. While in good condition, I would prefer not to photocopy it, but would rather interested researchers obtain a copy from court minutes, if possible.

[Page 1, Side 1]
Complaint for Partition of Real Estate

The State of South Carolina
County of Oconee
In the Court of Common Pleas

[Page 1, Side 2]
The plaintiff above named complaining of
the defendants above named shows to the court,

That on the 15th day of June 1864, James Alex-
ander, being owner in fee of the Real estate hereinafter
described, died intestate as to the same, towit:
All that piece, parcel, or tract of land situate in the
County and State aforesaid on the North Fork of
Little River waters of Seneca River adjoining lands
of William Whitmire, Moses Cantrell and others, being
the Real Estate of D. D. Alexander decd and containin
Six hundred and forty four acres, excep the portion
off to Elias F. and Jacob Alexander,: a division of said
amongst the devisees thereof, of D. D. Alexander, decd, by
agreement under seal dated 23rd March 1863. the portion
so cut off being as follows: Elias[?] F. Alexander to have from
a rock corner near the bridge opposite the old ford thence
a strait line to a Red Oak corner[?] on the outside line
this part being below on East side of ditch- Jacob Alex
ander to have all on the west side of Little River and
from ford of the creek out to ditch above about three
acres

That the said James Alexander left no lineal de-
scendants, but left as his heirs at law and distributees [his?]
widow, Mary Alexander, the defendant first above named, his
mother Levina Alexander, his brothers and sisters Jacob B.
Alexander, plaintiff aforesaid, and Elias F. Alexander, Jordan
Alexander, Nancy Ann Madden and David Alexander,
defendants above mentioned, and Micajah Alexander, Isaac
Alexander, Eliabeth Watson nee Alexander, and the defendants
Daniel Perritt, Elizabeth Ann, and Levina Perritt the
children of Melissa Perritt nee Alexander a predeceased
sister

Due to the length of the document, the remainder of the transcription will be included in tomorrow’s post.